Four areas reinforcement: A sense of academic initiative, a sense of knowing, a sense of connectedness, and a sense of well-being. Maeroff elaborates on these four areas. Building a compelling case for how and why the concept of social capital will make a considerable difference in the effort to improve opportunities and outcomes for disadvantaged schoolchildren. Setting higher academic standard-without securing the development of children in need is not enough. Powerful, impressively researched. And inspiring, Altered Destinies not only examines the dilem-mas facing young people. it suggests methods whereby to solve them.